Rainswept might be the first game to learn from Kentucky Route Zero not only aesthetically, but also in terms of direction. All things considered, it tells a simple story, but it does so in a way that shows remarkable sensitivity, a talent for writing, and above all a very uncommon attention to the overall direction of scenes. It may not be as revolutionary as its source of inspiration, but it certainly has something to say.

Ultimately, SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance – SEGA Villains Level is a DLC that delivers on its promises… but falls just short of making a lasting impression. The boss battles are the true heart of the experience: spectacular, well-crafted and capable of evoking the Sega tradition with great respect and sensitivity. It is here that the package really shines, turning every encounter into a mini-event. Everything else, however, struggles to keep up. The levels leading up to these encounters are functional but unremarkable, lacking the inventiveness and personality that made the base game so memorable. The result is content that’s enjoyable to play through, but rarely surprises. It therefore remains an addition recommended primarily for fans and those feeling nostalgic, capable of delivering moments of great satisfaction, but also leaving the feeling of an opportunity only partially seized.

A.I.L.A works best when it lets the silences and disturbing scenarios speak for themselves, less so when stiff animations or technical roughness come into play. In short, an imperfect but evocative horror game with some interesting insights.

Live A Live tries to do many things, but not all of them live up to the same standard. The overall narrative is satisfying, but the stylistic discrepancy between its various adventures, combined with a certain underlying simplicity, makes the game a short adventure lacking depth, but admittedly exciting when it gets into the right gear.

If you liked Schizm and its sequel, you will simply love Nemezis as well. However, 15 years later, we’d expect something more, with a slightly enhanced gameplay, while Nemezis is just a harder, shorter “more of the same” of Schizm 2.

Activision should probably rethink the formula for Call of Duty's DLCs. Nevertheless, Sabotage is a DLC with no real flaws nor weaknesses, some good multiplayer maps and an exciting zombie mode, but at the same time with no particular inspiration.

Remember that thought I advised you to keep to the end? Here you are. Atomic Heart suffers from that taste of "already seen" which ends up distorting its workmanship a bit, an important element that could affect anyone's experience, precisely due to the inability to create empathy with characters who, in the end, lived almost like extras. A set of clichés which, however, does not penalize the success of the work in its entirety. The show staged by Mundfish has all the credentials to establish good starting points, which could make more sense after the launch. We'll see: the potential of the setting is more than actually exploited.

Despite its ups & downs, it’s hard not to love Miitopia and its quirkiness. Even the most generic and basic RPG story suddenly becomes a compelling tale if you use friends-shaped Miis as characters and Miitopia adds to this formula a large amount of humor and weirdness that fills the void when the rhythm slows down. If I had a child, this would be the first RPG I’d play with him (or her).

Another nostalgic compilation from Capcom with a robust miscellaneous of arcade games, glued together by a shiny old-school interface and a wide range of visual options. Some of the titles are already available in other collections, but this time each one can be purchased separately.

An atmospherically rich puzzle game with an intriguing backstory and simple but layered gameplay. Too bad about a few too many stumbles on Nintendo Switch and near-zero replayability.

Moons of Madness manages to balance the stylistic elements of the walking simulator with some different game mechanics and its puzzles. Rock Pocket Games has handled the available Lovecraftian material as it should, setting up an adventure that can easily walk alone with dignity.

Famicom Detective Club is not the new Ace Attorney that many were hoping for, that much is clear. The new graphic design makes a huge (and obvious) step forward compared to the original, but the investigation mechanics really feel the weight of the years and might not meet the favour of less patient players. Two good stories, but condemned to a lethargic narration despite their objective merits. Recommended for visual novel lovers and hardcore Nintendo fans.

Bravely Default 2 is a classic JRPG that certainly doesn't reinvent the wheel, but its intriguing combat system and the customization offered by the many classes available can make it interesting for fans of the genre.

Stories is a game you can easily fall in love with, though it doesn't invent anything new. The way it mixes and entwines the paths of destiny and its peculiar storytelling top the linear gameplay. An interesting concept, well implemented.

Zero Hour isn't groundbreaking or technically perfect, it has some obvious limitations, and the AI ​​leaves much to be desired. That said, it's a good entry point for tactical FPS newbies thanks to its immediate and engaging mix of slow-paced gameplay and wild PVP.

Once Upon a Climb is the new installment of a series that started big, stumbled in the second episode, and rose again in this third episode. A few puzzles, a lot of humour, some occasions for deeper thoughts, and excellent writing and dialogues. Good work, The Odd Gentlemen.

BOULDER DASH 40th Anniversary revives the 1984 classic with over two hundred levels, including the original sixty from the first three chapters, introducing new gameplay elements such as enemy generators and acid pools, plus an intuitive editor. The fast pace and scoring system reward reflexes and precision, while the variety of content ensures longevity. Among its strengths are the solid gameplay and Chris Hülsbeck's soundtrack. Less convincing is the graphic style, which is uninspired and too reminiscent of hyper-casual mobile games. A successful tribute, despite the occasional lapses into laziness.

Planet of Lana II continues the formula of the first game: environmental puzzles based on Lana and Mui's cooperation, a few essential controls, and simple yet fluid gameplay. The puzzles are intuitive and well-integrated into the environments, rewarding observation and timing rather than complex logic. Artistically, it remains a delight, with refined animations and a quiet yet effective narrative. However, the structure is almost identical to the original: the mechanics are often repeated, and the action is sparse, with very low difficulty. A coherent and refined sequel, but lacking in courage.

I didn't start out with the best of expectations, but The Smufs Mission Villeaf turned out to be a nice little game! For a few hours it brought me back to the age when I hastily dined to leave my parents to their sad newsreel, and went to watch the Smurfs on the TV in my room. The graphic rendering of the characters is commendable (certainly more rounded than that of the two recent films) and the soundtrack a small masterpiece.

At face value, Nordic Ashes offers a lot of content, which makes it feel even more weird when you realize that build variety is one of its issues, due to how character progression works during a run. Overall, it’s not a bad enemy hell kind of game, but it doesn’t make top of the class.

Monster Hunter Stories 2 turns out to be a good JRPG that will delight fans of the saga, especially those willing to turn a blind eye to its undeniable ease and a narrative held back by avalanches of fetch quests and a disappointing protagonist. Those who have played the first game should keep in mind that this is a more of the same, with all the pros and cons that this entails.

Death Squared brings the trial & error concept in the world of puzzle games. Nothing new, really, but a pleasant surprise nonetheless. If you’re looking for a game that will rack your brain, this is something worth your while. Be sure to have a friend to play with and, most of all, a lot of patience.

Livelock is more linear and simple than other sci-fi top-down shooter influenced by Diablo, but it's also one of the best in terms of visual design and pure fun factor.

Strange Brigade, with its pulp magazine taste, is a good action co-op to play among most demanding titles. Unfortunately, the amount of content at day one is limited, holding back the score, although Rebellion has announced additional campaigns and new characters to expand the game after launch.

Sable is a fascinating coming of age videogame with an incredible art direction inspired by the works of the late Jean Giraud.

Foreclosed manages to condense in a single game a decent shooter, a basic role-playing game and, why not, even a bit of science fiction thriller, which doesn't hurt. The problem, however, is who exactly this game is meant for: it is too light as an FPS, too basic as an RPG, and the puzzles aren’t deep enough for an adventure. It needs someone who wants to simply live a cyberpunk experience, as long as your expectations aren’t set too high.

Black Jewel is a game designed for gamers that spent their childhood watching the loading screen of the Commodore 64, with its simple gameplay and a soundtrack that sounds exactly like a SID tune. In order to appreciate it, though, you need to get back to the 8-bit era, and forget everything that came after it. The fact that it costs only 2 euros is the cherry on top.

Table Top Racing: World Tour is not a bad game per se, but it lacks the "spark" we felt playing classics of the genre like Re-Volt or MicroMachines. There's a lot of content to go through, tons of events and championships to win, but at the same time there's lot of repetitiveness, and the AI-controlled cars can be real jerks. The biggest flaw, however, is the lack of a split-screen multiplayer mode.